The Federal High Court sitting in Jalingo has sacked Timothy Heman Magaji and declared Sanusi Mahmud as the validly elected Chairman of the Taraba Football Association.
In a judgement delivered on Tuesday in Jalingo -the Taraba state capital, the presiding Judge, Justice Simon Akpah Amobeda, asked Magaji who was occupying the office to stop parading himself as the chairman of the Taraba FA.
“The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) should also recognise Mahmud as the chairman of the football association in Taraba,” the court held.
It was gathered that the Taraba Football Association plunged into leadership tussle between Timothy Heman Magaji and Sanusi Mahmud, following the election of the Taraba State Football Association held on June 12, 2018.
Sanusi Mahmud filed the suit challenging the outcome that saw Timothy Heman Magaji as the chairman. The case dragged on for three years, The Nation learnt.
Sanusi Mahmud’s supporters were seen celebrating the verdict at the court premises on Tuesday.
Counsel to the plaintiff, Isa Buba, hailed the judgement. He described the ruling as a “fair judgment,” and commended the judiciary “for being unbiased.
“Mahmud’s victory in court was due to the evidences advanced by his team.
“The court went through our various evidences and submissions and found out that the plaintiff, who is our client, established his case based on preponderance of evidence before declaring him winner of the June 12, 2018 election of the Taraba State Football Association,” Mahmud’s lawyer stated.